How to Run for City Treasurer and Serve Your Community

Learning how to run for city treasurer is the first step toward making real, lasting change in your community. City budgets impact everything from public safety to public parks, and strong financial leadership helps make sure resources are used fairly and responsibly. 

Running for city treasurer offers an incredible opportunity to protect taxpayer dollars and build public trust in a role where every dollar matters. You have the chance to make decisions that touch every corner of city life. Luckily, city treasurer elections are typically non-partisan, like many local offices. This means voters can focus on your vision, not your political affiliation.

This guide will cover everything you need to know about running for city treasurer, from understanding the role to filing your paperwork and building a winning campaign.

What Does a City Treasurer Do?

A city treasurer is a vital financial officer responsible for safeguarding a city’s financial health. Depending on your city, responsibilities typically include:

• Managing the City Budget: Working with other city officials to plan, oversee, and monitor the city's annual budget.

• Overseeing Investments and Revenue: Ensuring city funds are invested wisely and revenue streams (like taxes, permit fees, and grants) are accurately recorded and collected.

• Adjusting Tax Rates: Analyzing revenue streams and recommending adjustments to ensure fairness and sustainability.

• Handling Building Permit and Development Fees: Making sure developers and builders pay their fair share to fund public infrastructure.

• Managing Debt: Overseeing the city’s debts and negotiating new borrowing when necessary.

• Reporting: Preparing monthly or quarterly financial reports to ensure transparency and accountability to both city officials and the public.

In short, city treasurers are the guardians of the city's financial future. 

Why Run for City Treasurer?

Running for city treasurer is about protecting your community's future. Some reasons you might decide to run include:

• You care about transparency. You believe taxpayers deserve to know where their money is going.

• You want smarter financial management. You see opportunities to allocate funds more effectively.

• You bring valuable skills. Whether you have a background in finance, business, economics, or even just strong organizational skills, your talents can help improve your city's financial health.

• You’re ready to lead without party politics. Many treasurer races are non-partisan, giving you the chance to run on your ideas instead of party labels. Additionally, over 70% of local races, like city treasurer, ran uncontested in 2024, so a genuine campaign message and real connection to voters could be the fresh voice your community is looking for. 

If you believe your city deserves smarter, more transparent financial leadership, running for treasurer is a powerful way to make real change. 

How to Run for City Treasurer: 4 Steps

Running for any office can seem overwhelming, but breaking it down into manageable steps makes it achievable. Here's how to run for city treasurer, step-by-step:

Step #1: Research and Understand the Role

Before launching your campaign, take time to fully understand what being a city treasurer entails in your specific city.

Who Can Run for City Treasurer?

While qualifications vary slightly depending on location, candidates typically must:

• Be a U.S. citizen

• Be at least 18 years old

• Be a registered voter in the city

• Be a resident of the city (sometimes for a minimum time, like 30-90 days)

• Have no disqualifying criminal convictions

Some cities prefer candidates with experience in finance, accounting, or public administration, but it's not always required.

Is the Treasurer’s Race Partisan or Non-Partisan?

Many city treasurer races are non-partisan, meaning you won't need to declare a political party. That’s good news for Independent, non-partisan, and third-party candidates focused on real solutions instead of party politics.

LEARN MORE: Learn more about how non-partisan elections work. 

Term Lengths and Responsibilities

City treasurer terms typically last four years, though some cities may have two- or six-year terms depending on their charter or state law. A city treasurer's authority is defined by a combination of the state constitution, local charters, municipal codes, and sometimes administrative rules.

The role requires a deep understanding of budgeting, investment practices, and compliance regulations. Beyond overseeing the day-to-day management of city finances, treasurers are often called upon to:

• Collaborate with city councils and city managers to shape financial policy

• Ensure compliance with municipal, state, and federal financial reporting standards

• Develop strategies to promote long-term financial stability and economic growth

• Manage risks related to city investments and debt portfolios

Because the financial health of a city impacts everything from public safety to education to parks and recreation, the treasurer's role is critical to ensuring the city's broader success.

LEARN MORE: Use GoodParty.org’s election look-up tool to find out more about your city’s treasurer term lengths, requirements, and election deadlines.

Step #2: Plan Your Path to Victory

Successful campaigns start with smart planning. Focus on these key areas:

Define Your Campaign Message

Talk to your neighbors. Listen to their concerns. Build your message around:

• Financial transparency

• Fiscal responsibility

• Economic growth and opportunity

• Smart budgeting for community needs

Your authenticity and community focus will resonate more than partisan talking points.

Build Your Campaign Team

You don’t need a massive team to succeed. A few passionate supporters and volunteers can help you with:

• Door-to-door canvassing and voter outreach

• Managing social media and digital outreach

• Fundraising and event planning

Don’t forget to leverage technology to fill any gaps. Free and low-cost tools, like GoodParty.org, can take things off your plate by helping with press releases, campaign texting, yard signs, and your social media presence.

LEARN MORE: Find out how to build a lean team to power your campaign to victory.

Set a Campaign Budget

Treasurer races typically cost less than state or federal elections. Typical expenses include:

• Filing fees ($50–$300, depending on your city)

• Yard signs and flyers

• A simple campaign website

• Small events like meet-and-greets or community coffee chats

Be realistic about how much you can self-fund and how much you’ll need to raise. Remember to plan fundraising strategies early, too. Focus on small-dollar, local donations to maintain your independence and build grassroots support.

Step #3: File the Right Paperwork

Getting your name on the ballot requires some paperwork. Typically required paperwork includes:

• Declaration of Candidacy: Formally announces your run.

• Financial Disclosure Statements: Shows your financial interests to avoid conflicts of interest.

• Campaign Finance Registration: Sets up your official campaign committee and bank account.

• Nominating Petition (if required): Involves gathering signatures from registered voters in your city.

Check with your city clerk or local election board early to learn specific requirements, deadlines, and fees. Double-check everything you file. Missed deadlines or improperly completed paperwork could result in disqualification. 

Step #4: Launch and Run Your Campaign

Once you’re officially on the ballot, it’s time to hit the ground running! Now’s your time to connect with voters, fundraise effectively, and adapt your campaign to your community’s needs. 

Connect with Voters

Create a clear and memorable identity for your campaign to help voters connect and remember you. Choose a simple color scheme, a straightforward slogan, and consistent messaging that you can use on flyers, signs, social media, and your website.

Other ways to engage voters include:

• Canvass Door-to-Door: Meeting voters in person remains one of the most powerful tools in a local race.

• Host Community Events: Coffee chats, open houses, or "meet the candidate" nights at local venues help put a human face on your campaign.

• Attend City Meetings: Show voters you’re engaged and invested in local government.

• Leverage Digital Outreach: Regularly update your website and social media accounts with campaign news, endorsements, event information, and voter education materials.

LEARN MORE: Learn how to organize events for your campaign. 

Fundraise with Purpose

Fundraising is the engine that keeps your campaign moving forward. Even small donations can add up quickly when you focus on community-driven strategies. Make sure you:

• Create an Easy-to-Use Donation Page: Make sure it's accessible from all your campaign materials.

• Send Regular Updates: Keep your supporters informed about campaign milestones and fundraising needs.

• Plan Low-Cost Fundraisers: Community BBQs, trivia nights, or casual meetups can help you raise money while deepening community connections.

By keeping fundraising efforts consistent and community-focused, you’ll not only raise the money needed to fuel your campaign but also build stronger relationships with your supporters.

LEARN MORE: Get your fundraising plan together with our comprehensive guide. 

Adapt and Grow

Pay attention to feedback from voters and volunteers. Monitor which outreach strategies are working best, and don’t be afraid to adjust your tactics as needed. Staying flexible can make all the difference.

Consistency, visibility, and authenticity are key to building momentum and winning votes.

LEARN MORE: Use our campaign checklist to keep your race on track. 

Get the Tools You Need to Run and Win

Running for city treasurer is about stepping up when your city needs leadership most. You don’t need party backing or a million-dollar budget. All you need is a plan, a message, and a real connection to your community.

At GoodParty.org, we offer free and low-cost tools to help Independent and non-partisan candidates like you run stronger, smarter campaigns. From digital campaign tools to texting support and expert guidance, we’re here to help you every step of the way.

Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash